2025 NBA Mock Draft: Mavericks win lottery, take Duke’s Cooper Flagg with prime choose; Dylan Harper to Spurs

Nico Harrison has insisted repeatedly that protection wins championships. He’ll have an opportunity to place that idea to the check in including Flagg, probably the most dynamic defender and greatest total participant within the class. Flagg is coming off a Participant of the 12 months marketing campaign at Duke as a freshman and is second solely to Victor Wembanyama amongst prospects since I started evaluating gamers in 2016.

Victor Wembanyama finds a brand new operating mate in Dylan Harper, the draft’s second-best prospect, who initiatives as a lead guard who can play on and off the ball.

Philadelphia transferring into the highest three was among the many huge lottery evening surprises. The 76ers can seize one of many huge three on this class — right here I’ve them taking Ace Bailey — including a dynamic scoring wing to a core that features Jared McCain and Tyrese Maxey.

Charlotte’s dangerous lottery luck may match out OK. Bailey did not seem to be an excellent match for Charlotte and this offers the Hornets a possible probability to snag one among Edgecombe or Tre Johnson. Edgecombe could be my choose right here as a high-upside scoring guard with elite athletic pop and abilities to enrich LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller.

Utah did not win the No. 1 choose regardless of 14% odds — however touchdown at No. 5 provides it an opportunity to snag one of many 5 greatest prospects earlier than a tier break. Johnson is a high quality comfort to provide the Jazz a younger scoring guard who was a prolific shooter at Texas.

Knueppel completed as a 40% 3-point shooter and averaged 14.4 factors per sport on a Duke staff that gained 35 video games and made the Remaining 4. He’d make a high quality addition to Washington for a Wizards staff on target.

The draft will take a flip right here pending what New Orleans does. It has fascinating choices. Murray-Boyles is a best-player out there choice give the Pels an enormous who’s a dynamic defender with a artful scoring fashion contained in the paint.

Brooklyn with 4 first-round picks takes an enormous swing right here in a high-risk, high-reward prospect in Fears. He is electrical as a ballhandler and downhill attacker with some questions on how his slender body and shot will translate.

Jakucionis is a connective piece who initiatives as some extent guard and has good measurement and ending capacity. He’ll have to spherical out his sport to turn out to be a weapon off-ball.

One of the best passer within the draft finds a slot in Houston on a younger staff to assist join all of it collectively. Demin’s highlight-level passing will elevate the Rockets’ star items and its already-strong offense below Ime Udoka.

Traore’s performed nicely of late in France and is inching nearer to his preseason inventory projection as a potential lottery choose. He is confirmed bettering as a shooter of late and has a future as some extent guard along with his measurement and passing imaginative and prescient.

You may most likely see Queen and Chicago linked lots within the coming weeks. He is a talented huge man who would fill a necessity for the Bulls and assist items within the frontcourt hook up with Chicago’s dynamic backcourt.

Clifford is a real two-way stud who’s a 3-and-D weapon able to contribute for just about any staff along with his ability set. He has made regular strides throughout 5 school seasons and is able to contribute from the leap.

Measuring a 7-foot-6 wingspan on the mix, Maluach’s size as a middle and projectable function as an above-the-rim playmaker makes an excessive amount of sense. He might feast alongside Wemby in San Antonio.

OKC can have loads of choices right here at No. 15 so as to add to its No. 1-seeded Western Convention staff — and right here I’ve them choosing Danny Wolf. He has a cool however useful sport as a dynamic passer, playmaker and occasional level guard. His IQ and really feel would match a staff just like the Thunder.

Bryant appears the a part of a successful two-way wing who can defend and knock down pictures. He hit 37.1% from 3-point vary and rated within the eightieth percentile as a leap shooter in his freshman season at Arizona. Groups are rising more and more intrigued by his ability set and potential.

McNeeley is a winner who provides toughness, passing, capturing and vitality as a wing who can do some of all the things. He performed out of his pure place at occasions this season with UConn and was thrust right into a facilitating function, nevertheless it helped showcase his ability as a downhill weapon who can see the ground and performance within the NBA as a secondary creator.

Dare I say the Washington Wizards are trying like they could be … a enjoyable staff to look at? Including Clayton Jr. to the combination would double the enjoyable. He is one of many draft’s most dynamic shot-makers and is coming off a legendary NCAA Match title run at Florida through which he showcased his scoring and playmaking.

Saraf is an Israeli guard who has acquitted himself nicely abroad as a scorer and playmaker at simply 18 years previous this season, and he is artful in utilizing his smarts to search out open teammates. Brooklyn must put money into expertise — no matter how prepared they’re or aren’t — and long-term Saraf has the instruments to be a starter within the league.

The teammate of aforementioned Ulm guard Ben Saraf, Essengue can be having fun with a breakout season abroad as a first-round huge man prospect. He is made almost 30% from 3-point vary in an enchancment on final season and carved out a big function in a proficient league at simply 18 years previous.

Underwhelming measurements on the NBA Mix — he measured simply over 6-foot barefoot — is more likely to damage Richardson’s inventory and stunt it from a top-10 ceiling I as soon as thought potential. He is nonetheless a first-round expertise, although, and he performs larger than his measureables counsel, which make the peak all of the extra shocking.

Fleming is a glove-in-hand match for any staff with its lead playmaker established. He is a rangy wing who’s among the many greatest spot-up shooters on this class and is coming off an enormous senior season through which he made 37.7% from 3-point vary because the alpha at St. Joseph’s.

Sorber was quietly one of the crucial productive freshmen in school hoops this season, averaging 14.5 factors and eight.5 boards at Georgetown. He is a pure scorer inside with delicate palms and a pure shot-swatter on the opposite finish in addition.

OKC has sufficient on its roster and in its treasure trove of property to be afforded huge swings on this draft. Powell is certainly an enormous swing. He was just-OK as a freshman at UNC however has size, capturing and defensive instruments to be a particular function participant.

Newell is 6-foot-11 with above-the-rim dynamism as a lob risk and shot-blocker. His shot-making and size makes him a high-floor kind prospect whose abilities might seamlessly slot in Orlando.

Raynuad quietly flourished on a floundering Stanford staff final season as probably the greatest gamers in all of school basketball. He has outstanding motion abilities for his measurement and might area the ground with a dependable jumper in addition.

Gonzalez hasn’t performed or produced a lot for Actual Madrid this season, which is usually the byproduct of being a 19 yr previous on a first-place staff in a respectable skilled league. However the athleticism and high-motor that is made him an intriguing prospect for years nonetheless exists and can probably be sufficient to get Gonzalez chosen within the first spherical. Good flyer for a Brooklyn staff with 4 first-rounders.

There’s more likely to be signifiant curiosity from sensible groups late within the first spherical and early within the second spherical in a younger expertise like Philon, who flashed main potential in spurts at Alabama as a real freshman. He is an thrilling on-ball defender with burst and ball abilities to develop right into a beginning guard. That is laborious to search out this late within the draft, even when he is not prepared to take action as a rookie.

The highest switch on this yr’s portal class has choices after leaving UAB — amongst them being a possible first-round choose. He is dedicated to Michigan as issues stand now and stays one of many huge names on the fence main into the withdrawal deadline. A defensive playmaker with true two-way capacity on the wing.

Beringer has blossomed right into a respectable first-round expertise enjoying for Cedevita this season and has come on sturdy of late with three double-digit scoring outings in his final 4 video games. He is a fluid mover for his measurement with pure instincts as a middle.